Indian paints high on lead, says Toxics Link

New Delhi, Sep 12 - Close on the heels of an expose showing high levels of heavy metals in plastic and PVC toys, an environmental group Wednesday revealed a fresh study that uncovered dangerously high amounts of lead in household paint samples from both Mumbai and Delhi.

'The idea behind this research was to determine the total concentration of lead in decorative paints of all types - plastic, enamel and exterior intended for residential use. Although lead as a source of health hazard has been studied in soil and toys, very few studies have been done on paints in India,' said Ravi Agarwal, director of Toxics Link.

The tests on the samples showed alarming levels of lead in enamel paints (with a gloss finish) and this held true for most paints available in the market.

'Of 31 enamel paint samples analysed for lead concentration, 83.87 percent had more than 600 parts per million (ppm) of lead, 19.1 percent had less than 600 ppm,' said Dr. Abhay Kumar of Toxics Link and author of the study.

Just last week, Toxics Link in collaboration with a television channel found that branded toys from across diverse toy stores in Delhi, many claiming to be non-toxic, in fact, contained dangerous amounts of lead.

The samples, when scientifically tested, showed a staggering 65 percent of the toys were contaminated with lead, and 14 percent of the samples were heavily contaminated with other elements.

The internationally accepted danger mark for lead in toys is 90 ppm. But the lab tests conducted on the toys reveal lead content from 190 ppm to 600 ppm. These contaminated toys were not only Chinese, but branded Indian toys available at leading stores across the country.

'High concentration of lead in enamel paints is the most worrying part of the whole issue. Except for one brand, all others had multiple samples that contained high concentration of lead, exceeding the voluntary Indian standard of 1,000 ppm and the US standard of 600 ppm,' said Kumar.

The study is believed to be the most comprehensive research on the issue both in terms of the sample size and the range of paints. All samples were tested at Galson Laboratories in New York.

The Bureau of Indian Standards has slated 1,000 ppm as the benchmark for acceptable levels of lead in paints, which is not only voluntary but also optional as part of the Ecomark labelling.

'Therefore, a manufacture is not bound by law to provide safe household paints, even if they pose serious health hazards,' said Agarwal.

Prolonged exposure to lead causes high blood pressure, particularly in middle-aged and older people and could also result in anaemia. The worst case scenario envisaged by doctors says that lead can severely damage the brain and kidneys in adults or children and ultimately cause death.

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

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